?Serie A commissioner Giovane Malago has confirmed plans to close the Italian transfer window early this summer, following a similar move already in place for Premier League clubs in England.

Last September, Premier League clubs collectively voted to prematurely end the English summer transfer window on the Thursday before the start of the 2018/19 season this coming August.

And, after Serie A dates were announced for the 2018/19 campaign, Malago has revealed that clubs will need to have concluded their transfer business by 18th August, 24 hours before the start of the season, as opposed to the end of the month like before.

Serie A has even gone a step further and will also cut short the January transfer window. With clubs set to play over the Christmas period in 2018/19, including on 26th December, the window will open on 1st January and close 24 hours before the first games after the winter break.

Malago described the changes as a ‘real cultural revolution a real cultural revolution’.

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Last summer, Juventus completed a deal for PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi on the day before the season started. That would still have been possible under the new rules, but their later capture of German defender Benedikt Howedes on 31st August would not.

It remains to be seen if further European countries will follow suit.

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